IPPF’s Member Association in Uganda - Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) is the recipient of the much-coveted National Safe Motherhood Award 2023. This recognition was bestowed on RHU during the closing ceremony of the National Safe Motherhood Conference 2023, where the organization was honored in the “Outstanding Contribution to Safe Motherhood- Family Planning” -NGO category. The award was granted by Uganda’s Ministry of Health.

Five non-governmental organizations had been nominated in this category.

"We are humbled and excited about winning the National Safe Motherhood Award. This award recognises our hard work and commitment to providing quality sexual reproductive health services to over 1.5million Ugandans every year," said RHU’s Executive Director Mr. Jackson Chekweko shortly after receiving the award.

Mr. Chekweko noted that the recognition, more so at a national level and by the Government, has inspired RHU to intensify its efforts in contributing to the country’s maternal and newborn health goals through its work.  

"We will strive to ensure that we expand our services to reach more populations –especially the vulnerable, marginalized and hard-to-reach communities- the young people, women in urban and rural areas, displaced people, key populations and persons with disabilities," he said.

“We are extremely humbled by this recognition. This has not been achieved single handedly. We appreciate the RHU Boards (past and present), management and staff, the donor community, the Government and the communities we serve. We are now more determined to double our efforts to effectively serve our communities,” said RHU’s Director of Finance, Mr. Peter Mark Mutebi.

In 2022, RHU offered 3.4 million sexual reproductive health services, with family planning services taking a huge share of more than 1.2 million services. Almost half of these services- 1.5 million- were offered to young people. The family planning services offered contributed to 1,029,553 couple years of protection (the estimated protection provided by contraceptive methods during a one-year period, based upon the volume of all contraceptives sold or distributed free of charge to clients during that period). Implants (a long-term contraceptive) contributed the biggest percentage at 63%.

The National Safe Motherhood Conference 2023 was held under the theme “Reach Every Mother and Newborn”. Among others, it aimed to disseminate good standards of practice and enable shared learning among frontline health workers and leaders of safe motherhood in Uganda.

The award ceremony saw other organizations, individuals, and institutions similarly honored by the Ministry of Health for their distinguished efforts towards improving maternal, child health and family planning indicators in the country.

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